


The Ties That Bind

by xspike4evax



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-25 16:52:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6203275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xspike4evax/pseuds/xspike4evax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her soul had guided his back to his body, and even though Willow didn't know it, Angel was chained to her for life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ties That Bind

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: chains from the bad_swa prompt table and soulmates from the bad_swa valentine's bingo

It was so intense; this feeling of darkness, that it woke Angel from sleep. He lay there for a moment, a strange breathlessness tightening his chest as the feeling of darkness rolled over him and through him. Wave after wave of blackness lanced through with pain and grief so strong Angel at first believed it to be his own. 

Struggling into a sitting position Angel sat on the side of the bed, limbs shaking. The power he felt was a part of him, but it was not his own. He could feel a fracture between it and him. The pain he experienced didn’t hurt him but it took him over so that he experienced it fully, even while knowing it did not belong to him. 

He tried to stand, tried to go and find Wesley. He needed help. They needed to find out what was happening to him; but another wave of grief crashed through him, bringing Angel to his knees. 

As he lay panting on the floor, the carpet rough against his cheek, Angel consoled himself with the knowledge that whatever was happening was nothing to do with his soul. Losing his soul was a different sensation altogether. 

The strength sapped from his body, Angel had no choice but to lie there all still and feeble. He had never, not even as a human, been feeble; Angel didn’t much care for the feeling. He tried to combat the darkness rushing and swirling through his body. He tried to see through the blackness to find a source, a reason, an explanation; but there was nothing; just this great abyss filled with so much pain Angel could hardly stand it. 

As suddenly as the power came, it left him. There was no warning, it just went. It didn’t fade, it was more of a collapse of energy leaving Angel with an overwhelming feeling of sadness. 

Gingerly he got to his feet, arms outstretched for balance, but he found his strength had returned. There was no quiver in his legs as he made his way to the bedroom door and he was able to descend the stairs without any problems at all. 

Later that evening he was even able to go out and fight. It was as though it hadn't even happened, as though the whole thing had been a dream. 

But it had happened and Angel was determined to get to the bottom of it. 

XxX

It was a few days later when Wesley inadvertently discovered the answer. A problem with the computer system forced Wesley to call Sunnydale looking for Willow and her technical expertise. 

Stunned did not quite sum up the way Angel had felt when Wesley had informed him of the death of Tara and Willow's subsequent breakdown and attempt to destroy the world. 

So much pain. So much grief. Too much for one person to bear. Angel knew, he had experienced it along with her. His heart went out to Willow, she was one of the good ones; she did not deserve to suffer the way she had. He knew what it was like to lose someone you loved; Buffy at least was alive and well in the world; now. She would be still be rotting in the ground if it wasn't for Willow. It wasn't fair that Willow had to be the one to lose when she did so much good, not just for the world but for those around her too. 

At least she didn't have to suffer alone. Willow had given him back his soul, her own soul guiding his back into his body creating a bond neither of them had been aware of. But now Angel knew about it the very least he could do was share in her grief after all she had done for him. Their souls joined them together and even though Willow didn't know it, they were soul mates, chained together for life.


End file.
